Fragile Things
by The Seventh L
Summary: Post-Trial of a Time Lord. The Doctor doesn't need his hand held, but he needs someone. And that someone's going to be Mel, whether he likes it or not.


Mel notices that the Doctor is not exactly at his most stable when she finds him in a dimly lit corner of the TARDIS library, head held up by two folded hands, staring off at a distant space of no significance. It's been several days since they escaped the grasp of so-called Gallifreyan justice and the Valeyard, and he has been distant the whole time, constantly mentioning needing to return Mel to her time line but never setting the co-ordinates. She's been feeling like a fish out of water trapped in a little boy's hands -- and that little boy is the Doctor, afraid to let go.

She pulls up a chair next to him, waits for him to notice she's there before she says anything. After all, she's been hearing in bits and pieces what happened before she got pulled into the trial: about the Valeyard and the Master; about Ravalox and Sil; even, on occasion Peri, whose face appears in pictures and artifacts sprinkled around the TARDIS, as if the machine is making itself a living shrine.

The Doctor drops back into his chair, hands drooping at his sides. The sight sends Mel's heart sinking in her chest. The energy and exuberance that she had known him for was gone or at the very least hidden away from view. It was almost painful to watch him move, so drained and lacking in life was he.

"I'm starting to think I've been lied to," he said. Mel reached over and covered his hand with hers. He didn't shake her hand off, but he didn't acknowledge it either. She just hoped he'd keep talking. Talking made everything better, eventually.

"It's practically a parable. There's a man standing at a crossroads, and someone is blocking each path. One person says death and the other says marriage. What am I supposed to think?"

Mel squeezes his hand, realizing she's heard this story before. It's Peri's story, and so far it is a story without a definite ending. "Perhaps the Inquisitor was telling the truth? Wouldn't it be better if she was alive?" she offered.

A flash of pain crosses the Doctor's face, and Mel instantly regrets her words. "And what if she wasn't? She could have been placating my feelings in case I became too emotional and demanded the truth." The next sentence came out slightly strangled. "I should have asked for the truth."

"You can go and see her, can't you?" Mel angles her face to study the Doctor's reaction. "The TARDIS can take us there---"

"It's most likely time locked, no thanks to my most esteemed colleagues," he says, words bitter and sharp. Then he adds lowly, "She's probably dead by now. Everyone I have even the slightest iota of affection for seem to be dying every day."

She reaches out and grips his shoulders tightly. "I'm here, Doctor," she pleads, looking him square in the eye. "I'm still here. Not everyone is gone."

The Doctor suddenly springs up from his seat, and Mel has to jerk out of the way to avoid colliding with his body. He's striding through the library towards the doors, calling back, "That's right! So where to? So many places to go, so little time to see it all---"

Mel runs after his ever-lengthening strides, catching him as he is entering the console room. With one hand she catches his shoulder in mid-motion and pulls him back sharply, which provokes a loud yelp and one of his patented 'looks'.

"What do you think you're doing, Doctor?" she says, a slight anger seeping into her voice. "You can't just run away from her! She might still be alive!"

He gave Mel another look, a mixture of patronization and pity. "My dear girl, what's done is done, the past is the past --- it's time to move on!" He punctuated this with a wave of the arms. "I'm sure Peri is safe and living her own life."

With this, he moves to the console, probably to set the co-ordinates to their next destination.

"If you really thought she was safe, you wouldn't be worrying about her!" Mel throws up her hands in frustration. "The Valeyard tells you she's dead, the Inquisitor tells you she's alive, and it never occurs to you to find out for yourself!" With this, she stalks about to a chair lying around near the opposite side of the console and practically throws herself in the seat, fuming.

Several minutes of strained silence pass, during which Mel wonders how the Doctor could be so unbelievably apathetic and uncaring towards someone who was supposed to be his best friend. She thinks, _Maybe now I should ask him to take me back to where I came from. The least he can do is set the time line straight_, and even though she feels guilty for thinking so meanly, she also can't help but think the arrogant Time Lord rightly deserves every word.

The time rotor begins to move up and down in its central column. The Doctor peers over the controls to see Mel trying to read one of her exercise magazines laying about, and frowns.

"Don't look so _glum_, Melanie." He snaps his fingers. "I know what will cheer you up! The gardens of Thordon are beautiful in springtime -- simply amazing, flora and fauna from across the universe, as far as the eye can see! Who would guess a planet with such a violent history could produce such resplendent sights? Well, yes, there is your home planet, but that seems to be an anomaly. Among other things."

Mel gives him a dirty look, which he answers with a look of pure astonishment, like he can't believe his own companion would dare to be upset with him. "Why do you think I need to see the gardens of some planet called Thordon?"

"What?" The Doctor blinks, then makes a 'oh' sound in realization. "Thordon is the home planet of the Thordonians, and more specifically their leader, King Yrcanos. I thought I said that."

She watches him fiddle with the buttons on the console absentmindedly and her heart feels a little bit lighter. He doesn't leave anyone behind, even if sometimes he needs a gentle reminder. Hidden behind the pages of her magazine, Mel listens to the odd bleeps and bloops of the console and remembers how he looked only shortly before, shaken and cracked like broken crystal. She had held his hand, quietly pressed her fingers on his wrist as he talked, and it felt like weak glass in her grip. Even now, she can feel the after-warmth of his skin on her fingertips like a distant memory.

The redhead shakes her head gently and smiles, ignoring the curious look the Doctor gives her. Yes, soon she'll have to leave him and return to her proper time line and him to his. But not yet. She wants to go back knowing whether or not he finds his best friend again. Most of all, she wants to see him smile one last time before the end.

The time rotor shudders to a stop. Mel takes a hold of his hand and he doesn't let go. They exit through the open doors, together.


End file.
